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Now that you have decided to take a road trip. It’s time to prepare for the road trip. California to Utah is roughly 700 miles, so preparation is something we take seriously. First and foremost is the vehicle. Get the oil changed, remove seats, add seats. Do everything that needs to be done to get the car ready to pack.

Next is the luggage. It is easy to overpack for your road trip, especially since you do not have to carry everything all at once and you will not be charged for an “extra” bag. What to pack remains the same as in most summer trips. I advise packing and then rechecking what was packed and reducing.

The main piece of equipment for the roadrip is the cooler. The road trip allows for travel worry-free travel regarding food. Take a cooler: pack food and restock it during the trip. The trick is keeping everything cool for long periods of time. Another strategy is to put non-perishable items in a cooler bag. This way, bread and pretzels will not get soggy. Cooler bags are easy to find.

I am in constant search for the best method to keep things cool, and I am still trying to figure out which is the best cooler to buy. I refuse to spend over $100 on a cooler until I know it will be worth it. Luckily, I have a sister who owns 2 coolers, so I plan to borrow one and test drive it during our upcoming road trip.

Here is my essential road trip food list:

  • Peanut Butter
  • Jelly
  • Bread
  • Crackers
  • Ham
  • Pretzels
  • Bars (granola, crunch, energy, etc.)
  • Nuts: almonds, macadamias
  • Trail mix
  • Coffee creamer
  • Water (gallon to refill bottles)
  • Ice packs
  • Ziploc bags (sandwich and gallon size)
  • Knives, forks and spoons
  • Paper towels

This year we plan to leave right after our daughter’s dance recital, so planning ahead and being prepared will be key.

Get packing and enjoy driving on the open highway.

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